Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
It was an emotional atmosphere at Umuenu Umuawulu in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State when a widow, Mrs Nkechi Obi, wife of the former chairman of Umuenu Quarters Assembly, Umuawulu, Mr Humphrey Obi, broke down in tears to narrate the circumstances that led to her husband's death while pursuing justice in the community. The people of Umuenu Quarters of Umuawulu had gathered that day to protest the alleged attempt by another village in the area to usurp their massive Agu Umaauenu land. Elderly men, women, and youths of the community who gathered in the village hall vowed not to give up their inheritance, especially when the battle had taken the life of their former chairman.
Speaking through tears, Mrs Obi recounted the history of the land and the peace that once existed in the community. “My late husband narrated to me the history of that land, and there was peace in the community until some rich and influential people developed interest in the land. I remember that my husband used to plant rice on the said land and nobody was molesting anybody,” she said. She further explained that families were going there to farm, harvest palm fruits, and process them without any issues until the unfortunate incident that led to her husband's death. “It is therefore unfortunate that my husband became a victim of this land dispute,” Mrs Obi lamented.
The land dispute at the heart of this tragedy has a long and complex history. Bernard Mbolu, President of the Umuenu Quarters Assembly, explained that Umuawulu is made up of three quarters: Enugwu, Umuenu, and Agbana. According to him, litigation over the land lingered from local authority court to customary court from 1927 to 1963, eventually reaching the Supreme Court, which decided the matter in favour of Umuenu in 1963. The highest court in the land declared that Umuenu people are the rightful owners of the land known as Agu Udo Umuoma and Agu ofuu, collectively named Agu Umuenu.
Mbolu noted that there was no other quarter contesting the ownership until 2020. During the litigation, the other quarter in Umuawulu testified in favour of Awgbu Community, claiming they were the rightful owners. When Umuenu defeated Awgbu in court, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding with them. However, Enugwu Quarters, which had testified for Awgbu, surprisingly invaded the land after having testified that it belonged to Awgbu.
The matter was taken to the Igwe in Council, and a 20-man committee was set up, with Umuenu and Enugwu quarters nominating 10 members each, while the neutral quarter, Agbana, produced the chairman and the secretary. After hearing from the two quarters, the committee decided that the land is owned by the Umuenu people. But Enugwu people rejected the decision, and in 2024, when our people went there to farm in line with the court decision, they attacked our people with dangerous weapons and in the process, cut off the hand of one of our brothers, Mr Humphrey Obi, who later died following the injuries he sustained during the attack.
There have been attempts to resolve the matter amicably, including tabling it during the Umuawulu town meetings. However, the violence that claimed the life of Humphrey Obi has deepened the wounds of the community. The gathering at Umuenu Umuawulu was not just a protest; it was a collective cry for justice, a demand that the blood of their fallen leader not be in vain. For Mrs Nkechi Obi, the pain is immeasurable. Her husband paid the supreme price fighting for justice, and she now carries the burden of his loss while continuing to seek the justice he died pursuing.
As the community stands united, the question remains: will the authorities finally intervene to resolve this century-old land dispute and prevent further bloodshed? Or will another family be forced to mourn a loved one lost to the greed for land? For now, the people of Umuenu Quarters continue their fight, hoping that their voice will be heard and that justice will prevail.
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